The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for industrial water processes. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods that use a detector to monitor and/or control fouling of a fluid within a fluid-containing system.
It is, of course, generally known to provide a fluid system, such as an industrial water process, in which fluid is transported from one location to another location. One such example is a water cooling tower in which heat exchange tubing is provided for transport of water from a first location to a second location. In such a system, undesirable film or fouling is often created on internal surfaces of the tubing. The film typically consists of microorganisms and/or suspended particulate matter that has settled out of the system. The film typically grows in thickness, thus reducing the efficiency of, for example, heat transfer from a hot interior to a cooler ambient environment.
Of course, many other examples of other systems that implement fluid transfer are known. For example, although the fluid may be water, it could be natural gas in a transmission line.
It is generally known that the fouling can be monitored by employing optical detection devices. An example of a known optical detection device for the monitoring of fouling is taught and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,533 (the xe2x80x9c533 Patentxe2x80x9d) to Banks et. al. In the ""533 Patent, a system is provided for determining accumulative film thickness at the inside diameter of a main stream conduit by employing an optical fouling meter (xe2x80x9cOFMxe2x80x9d). The OFM uses two light paths from a single light source. Both light paths pass through a transparent tube although one of the beams of light passes through a section of the tube which is kept free of deposits by a mechanical wiper. This clean section reading allows the reading from the fouled section of the tubing to be corrected for any effects of color or turbidity in the water.
It is desirable to have alternate systems and methods for monitoring and controlling fouling.
The first aspect of the claimed invention is a system for monitoring fouling in a fluid, the system comprising:
at least one fluid channel for receiving an amount of fluid; at least two identical sensors that measure a certain variable, each sensor adapted to measure the certain variable in the fluid in said fluid channel and produce an electric signal representative of the certain variable; wherein first sensor is permitted to foul and second sensor is cleaned; and a control device for processing the electric signals to calculate a fouling index.
The second aspect of the instant claimed invention is the system of the first aspect of the claimed invention wherein there are at least two fluid channels, wherein said at least two fluid channels are configured parallel to each other and where the same fluid travels each of said at least two fluid channels where said first sensor is configured in the first fluid channel and where said second sensor is configured in the second fluid channel, wherein said first sensor is permitted to foul and wherein said second sensor has been cleaned prior to measuring said variable.
The third aspect of the instant claimed invention is a system for controlling fouling in a fluid, the system comprising:
at least one fluid channel for receiving an amount of fluid; at least two identical sensors that measure a certain variable, each sensor adapted to measure the certain variable in the fluid in said fluid channel and produce an electric signal representative of the certain variable; wherein first sensor is permitted to foul and second sensor is cleaned; and a control device for processing the electric signals to calculate a fouling index and a device for adding a treatment chemical to the fluid dependent on the calculated fouling index.
The fourth aspect of the instant claimed invention is the system of the third aspect of the instant claimed invention wherein there are at least two fluid channels, wherein said at least two fluid channels are configured parallel to each other and where the same fluid travels each of said at least two fluid channels where said first sensor is configured in the first fluid channel and where said second sensor is configured in the second fluid channel, wherein said first sensor is permitted to foul and wherein said second sensor has been cleaned prior to measuring said variable.
The fifth aspect of the instant claimed invention is a method for determining fouling in a fluid, comprising the steps of:
providing at least one fluid channel;
supplying an amount of fluid to said at least one fluid channel;
providing an identical sensor pair that measures a certain variable; wherein the first sensor of said sensor pair is permitted to foul and the second sensor of each sensor pair is cleaned before it measures said certain variable,
using said sensor pair to measure the certain variable in the fluid of at least one fluid channel, with each sensor producing a respective electric signal representative of the certain variable; and
calculating a fouling index using the electric signals to determine the amount of fouling.
The sixth aspect of the instant claimed invention is the method of the fifth aspect of the instant claimed invention wherein there is provided at least two fluid channels, wherein said at least two fluid channels are configured parallel to each other and where the same fluid travels each of said at least two fluid channels where said first sensor is configured in the first fluid channel and where said second sensor is configured in the second fluid channel, wherein said first sensor is permitted to foul and wherein said second sensor has been cleaned prior to measuring said variable